Posted September 19, 200916 yr comment_5444296 September 20th: The Osaka castle hole (September 30th broadcast) IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship／Naoki Sano vs Jushin Liger〔W=**'**"〕 - There are some beautiful sequences in here but it does have several things going against it. First off, it is JIP and it seems like this is the finla stretch run instead of just a few minutes trimmed from the beginning. I could be wrong but we only get about 7-8 minutes. Then you have the botched Liger springboard that they cover up nicely with Liger selling he injured his leg and Sano slapping on a Figure-Four. Still, this was the most spotastic of the Liger-Sano matches and while the other two are battling in my Top Ten/Twenty, this one might not make the cut. IWGP Heavyweight Championship／Big Van Vader vs Bam Bam Bigelow〔W=**'**"〕 - Another JIP with Inooki as guest referee. This wanted to be a Clash of the Behemoths but it was so so slow. Really headlock heavy early on and it didn't have the sick stiffness you need for these guys to really shine. The last lariat looked pretty good, I guess. IWGPTag Championship／Takayuki Iizuka & Riki Choshu vs Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito〔W=**'**"〕 - Early on, Choshu and Hash battle with some decent work and then Iizuka gets in and gets his ass kicked. Good spot where Iizuka counters a Hash kick into a legbar after getting popped with those kicks about 15 times. Choshu comes in and he has good sequences with both guys and even sets Iizuka up to come in and put a leglock on Saito. I kind of wish Iizuka was getting his ass beat more because his leg lock strategy is working but it isn't very interesting. The stretch run was really good with Choshu-Hash battling, Hash unloading on Iizuka, Choshu saving him with a huge clothesline to the back and Hash ending it decisively as it should be. This is the kind of match I would have nominated before but I won't fight for it here at the end. You guys should watch it since I could see one of you liking it more than me.
September 25, 200916 yr comment_5444513 IWGPTag Championship／Takayuki Iizuka & Riki Choshu vs Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito〔W=**'**"〕 I liked this a bunch and I enjoyed watching it, but I think this needed a hotter finish to really kick it into nomination level stuff. Childs you should watch this, because I think it might have suffered a bit from end of the road-itis
September 26, 200916 yr comment_5444541 IWGPTag Championship／Takayuki Iizuka & Riki Choshu vs Shinya Hashimoto & Masa Saito I had a similar reaction to both of you -- good but not quite enough. I enjoyed Hash kicking the shit out of both guys. Loved the spot near the end where Hash lariated Iizuka in the corner only for Choshu to swoop in and nail him in the back of the head with the Riki lariat. I also dug the Choshu/Iizuka dynamic with Choshu slapping him and ramming his head against the apron to fire him up. But they needed to ring the drama out a bit more at the end, maybe with another Iizuka nearfall on Hash. I guess I'd have to use a personal pick on this, and I just don't see that, though I'm sure I would have nominated it even a few months ago.
